Highlands High School junior earns perfect ACT score

Highlands High School junior William Burnham earned a perfect score of 36 on the ACT exam. Nationally, less than one-tenth of 1 perfect of all students who take the ACT earn a score of 36.

Will initially took the ACT in April 2016, at the end of his sophomore year, and earned a score of 35. Although happy with that score, he said, “the perfectionist in me wouldn’t be satisfied until I reached the perfect score.”

Taking the test again last December, Will achieved his goal of scoring a 36 on the ACT, with perfect scores on all sections of the test.

The ACT is required for all high school juniors as part of the annual state assessment, so even though Will has “aced” the ACT, he is required to take it again this spring.

Will’s schedule in both his freshman and sophomore years included an early bird class that added an extra class period to his school day. Additionally, his schedules have included Advanced Placement classes, beginning with one his freshman year, two his sophomore year and four this year, as well as a dual credit class.

As for his senior year at Highlands this coming fall, Will’s requested schedule of classes includes early bird AP literature, AP statistics, AP physics, AP calculus, AP biology, AP government, and AP Spanish – and he plans to add dual credit Japanese as an eighth period on his own time outside of the school day.

Though currently undecided on a specific career field or university, Will says he is “fairly certain that it will have to do with science, be it physics, genetic engineering, chemical engineering, or something else.”

“We are very proud of Will and his performance on the ACT,” said Laura Schnitzler, Highlands High School guidance counselor. “He works hard every day and is a model student. Will’s work ethic and desire to learn are exemplary.”

The ACT consists of tests in English, mathematics, reading and science. Each test is scored on a scale of 1–36, and a student's composite score is the average of the four test scores.

ACT test scores are accepted by all major US colleges. Exceptional scores of 36 provide colleges with evidence of student readiness for the academic rigors that lie ahead.